Lot
1201

A gray schist figure of a winged Atlas

GANDHARA, 2ND/3RD CENTURY

A gray schist figure of a winged Atlas
Gandhara, 2nd/3rd century
Powerfully carved crouching on one knee with a muscular torso and bearded face, a robe draped elegantly over his arm and casually across his lap, the wings with feathers in fine detail, with polished surface
15 5/8 in. (40 cm.) high

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Literature and exhibited

Literature

I. Kurita, Gandharan Art, vol. II, 2003, p. 155, fig. 449

Lot Essay

The correspondence in size, style of carving, unusual aspects such as the scattered vignettes of incised curved lines on the base, high polish and powerful expression, indicate that this is in fact the mate to a winged Atlas at the Norton Simon Museum, see illustration at right. Pal first noted the close proximity in style, but he was unaware of the whereabouts of this figure. Likely executed by the same hand, they rank among the important and expressive of their type in the Gandharan context.

The two figures would have flanked the base of a large Buddhist figure. A. Foucher, L'art Gréco-Bouddhique du Gandhara, 1905, p. 208, was the first to suggest that winged supportive figures of this type are disguised yakshas, borrowing wings from the goddess of victory, combining an Indian concept with iconographic elements from classical sources. In the Gandharan context these winged figures are generally depicted in a more relaxed attitude, often with at least one arm down.